Seven from Iowa set to play 69th U.S. Senior Amateur
The eighth hole of The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn. (Copyright USGA/Russell Kirk)
When Coca-Cola bottling magnate Jack Lupton founded The Honors Course and hired noted architect Pete Dye, he intended the Ooltewah, Tenn., facility to be an homage to amateur golf. He wanted Dye to create a course strong enough to hold the best amateur competitions.
And Lupton succeeded, as The Honors Course has hosted a U.S. Amateur (1991), a Curtis Cup (1994), two NCAA Championships (1996 and 2010), a U.S. Mid-Amateur (2005), a U.S. Junior Amateur (2016) and the annual Lupton Invitational, which brings together some of the best mid-amateur and senior golfers. The 1996 NCAAs saw Tiger Woods win the individual title for Stanford, and the Junior Amateur made history when current PGA/DP World Tour player Min Woo Lee joined his older sister, Minjee, as the only siblings to win USGA Junior titles.
Each hole is named after a golfer and tells of their successes and accolades within amateur golf. Recipients of this honor range from college players to senior champions, both men and women.
This week, The Honors Course welcomes the best 55-and-over golfers for the 69th U.S. Senior Amateur. Including seven from Iowa – Jon Brown (Adel), Gene Elliott (Norwalk), Curtis Holck (Ankeny), Joe Jaspers (originally from Waverly), Mike McCoy (Norwalk), Joe Palmer (Norwalk) and John Putbrese (Des Moines).
This event was originally scheduled for 2020 until COVID-19 canceled all but four USGA championships. At 6,836 yards, this par-72 layout should be more than a challenge for the competitors who hope to hoist the Frederick L. Dold Trophy on Aug. 29.